Approaches to Learning in the South Pacific region: A confirmatory factor analysis study

Abstract

Research evidence emerging from recent studies (e.g., Akande, 1998; Kember & Gow, 1991; Kember & Leung, 1998) suggests that the social and cultural environments influence students' approaches to their learning. These findings have important theoretical and pedagogical implications in terms of how we view and conceptualise students' learning in both Western and non-Western contexts. Extending this line of inquiry, we situated and examined the orientation of learning styles of tertiary students in the South Pacific region. In particular, the present study was seen as important since it has been more than a decade that research was conducted in the South Pacific region on the learning styles of tertiary students. Biggs' (1987) Learning Process Questionnaire (LPQ) was revised to suit the Pacific social and cultural contexts, before it was administered to Fijian and other Pacific Islands students (N = 189 95 females, 94 males) enrolled in Educational Psychology at the University of the South Pacific. Exploratory (EFA) and different confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) models were tested to investigate the possible multidimensionality of approaches to learning (SAL). Analyses of results did not support the theoretical framework of a three-factor model (Biggs, 1987) and instead indicated the existence of Richardson's (1994) two-factor model, emphasizing two major types of learning orientation - Reproducing and Meaning. Our finding has important implications in the South Pacific region suggesting that educators and policy makers should ensure that assessment and other teaching learning elements in the university system are constructively aligned to promoting the appropriate style of learning.